1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic nonstop toll collection system, which is one field related to an intelligent transport system (ITS), and more particularly to a toll collection system with respect to a vehicle-mounted apparatus.
2. Related Art
A toll collection system of the past with respect to a vehicle-mounted apparatus is described below, using the example of a uniform toll entrance collection system. Road-to-vehicle communication between a road-side radio apparatus and a vehicle-mounted apparatus is performed by the road-side radio apparatus transmitting a control signal. Specifically, when the vehicle-mounted apparatus comes up to the entrance to a toll road, so that it comes within the limited radio communication region of the road-side radio apparatus, it receives the control signal transmitted by the road-side radio apparatus. Upon receiving the control signal, the vehicle-mounted apparatus exchanges data with the road-side radio apparatus under control by the control signal, thereby performing billing processing.
The prior art, however, had the following problems.
In the above-noted billing processing of the past, the system operates normally with the road-side radio apparatus installed in a very limited location, this being at an entrance toll area or a toll road or the like. If this system is applied to a general road, there is a possibility that a mis-billing will occur with respect to a vehicle if the system is operated so as to bill a vehicle that has entered a tolled area, in which a toll must be collected. Specifically, on the usual two-way road, and in particular such a road having narrow lanes, in contrast to a toll road having a one-way entrance toll collection lane, even a vehicle exiting from the tolled area must pass through the limited radio communication region of the road-side radio apparatus. There is the problem, therefore, that even when a vehicle is exiting, it might communicate with the road-side radio apparatus, resulting in it being erroneously billed.
For example,a Registered Japanese Utility Model No 3011907 and a Japanese unexamined Utility Model publication (KOKAI) No.5-8677 show the similar technology related to the automatic non-stop toll collection system to those as mentioned above but they also have the same problems as mentioned above.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention, in view of the above-noted problem, to provide a non-stop toll collection system and method, capable of achieving, by means of road-side radio communication, proper billing that is performed only with respect to a vehicle entering an area requiring the billing of a toll.
To achieve the above-noted object, the present invention adopts the following basic technical constitution.
Specifically, a first aspect of the present invention is a non-stop toll collection system having
a plurality of road-side radio apparatuses having mutually different radio communication regions, which transmit identification signals responsive to the installation locations thereof,
a vehicle-mounted apparatus, which receives an identification signal, records a communication log for each road-side radio apparatus, in response to the identification signal, and transmits the communication log,
wherein each of the plurality of road-side radio apparatuses receives the communication log and wherein, in the case in which the communication log indicates that another road-side radio apparatus and the vehicle-mounted apparatus have already communicated, the vehicle-mounted apparatus is instructed to perform billing processing.
A second aspect of the present invention is a variation on the non-stop toll collection system of the first aspect, wherein at a particular road-side radio apparatus of the plurality of road-side radio apparatuses, if the identification signal of a road-side radio apparatus with which the vehicle-mounted apparatus has already communicated as indicated by the communication log therefrom is the identification signal of a road-side radio apparatus to the rear of the current road-side radio apparatus in the direction of vehicle travel, instruction is given to the vehicle-mounted apparatus to perform billing processing.
A third aspect of the present invention is a variation on the non-stop toll collection system of either the first or second aspect, wherein each of the plurality of road-side radio apparatuses repeatedly transmits one frame of transmitted data, made up of a plurality of slots, control Information with respect to the vehicle-mounted apparatus being added to the control signal in the one frame, identification signals responsive to each of the installation locations for the plurality of road-side radio apparatuses being added to this control information.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is a variation on the non-stop toll collection system of any of the first to third aspects, wherein the plurality of road-side radio apparatuses are installed in a line along the direction of travel of the vehicle.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is a non-stop toll collection method whereby
identification signals responsive to the installation locations of a plurality of road-side radio apparatuses having mutually different radio communication regions are sent by the road-side radio apparatuses,
a vehicle-mounted apparatus receives the identification signals and, in response to the identification signals, records a communication log for each of the road-side radio apparatuses,
each of the plurality of road-side radio apparatuses, receives the communication log and, if the communication log indicates that another road-side radio apparatus and the vehicle-mounted apparatus have already communicated, instructs the vehicle-mounted apparatus to perform billing processing.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is variation on the non-stop toll collection system of the fifth aspect, wherein at a particular road-side radio apparatus of the plurality of road-side radio apparatuses, if the identification signal of a road-side radio apparatus with which the vehicle-mounted apparatus has already communicated an indicated by the communication log therefrom is the identification signal of a road-side radio apparatus to the rear of the current road-side radio apparatus in the direction of vehicle travel, instruction is given to the vehicle-mounted apparatus to perform billing processing.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is a variation on the non-stop toll collection system of either the fifth or sixth aspect, wherein each of the plurality of road-side radio apparatuses repeatedly transmits one frame of transmitted data, made up a plurality of slots, control information with respect to the vehicle-mounted apparatus being added to the control signal in the one frame, identification signals responsive to each of the installation locations for the plurality of road-side radio apparatuses being added to this control information.
An eighth aspect of the present invention is a storage medium having an executable program for a non-stop toll collection method according to any of the fifth to seventh aspects of the present invention.
Whereas only one road-side radio apparatus was used in the past, the present invention uses two sets of road-side radio apparatuses. Additionally, the road-side radio apparatuses are provided with a function that determines what road-side radio apparatuses a vehicle-mounted apparatus has communicated with, by accessing the communication log information via road-to-vehicle communication.
The road-side radio apparatus adds an identification signal responsive to the installation location to the control information with an Na slot, which is the transmitted control signal. That is, there is transmission of information that indicates whether it is located either forward of or to the rear of vehicle a rolled zone, with respect to the direction or travel of the vehicle. The vehicle-mounted apparatus, based on installation information showing the installation location indicated by the received identification signal, identifies the road-side radio apparatus and records whether or not there is radio communication.